


A Thousand Cranes

by StormEnchanter



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Acute lymphomatic leukemia, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character Death, Leukemia, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Platanoic relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-02-09 00:44:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1962531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormEnchanter/pseuds/StormEnchanter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi never expected to much out of life, you where born, you lived, then you died. It was an endless cycle almost like a washing machine. Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat.<br/>With a job he hated and an ex-boyfriend he hated even more. Levi was looking for the moment he could just run away from all of the problems behind him and that escape comes in the form of a leukemia patient named Eren Yeager. (based on the Ereri Leukemia AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Thousand Cranes

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work for the SnK fandom, and I have to say I'm sorry for whatever emotions you feel after reading this fic.

Levi scowled as he took a sip of the coffee he had purchased on the way to work, the coffee tasted stale and burnt as if it had been sitting out for several days and someone had just decided to reheat it. He dropped it in a wastebasket as the doors to the hospital slid open.

That coffee reminded him of life; it was bitter, annoying, and just god damn awful. He sighed as a nurse walking past him greeted him hello, he nodded his head, not bothering to respond with a verbal hello as that took up too much time and besides he hated people, whether it be the staff here or the patients.

Levi made his way to the locker room; he popped his locker open, hanging up his leather jacket that was far from suitable for this winter weather. “Levi.” Levi sighed as he took a sip of the fresh cup of coffee he had just poured himself. He hate that deep voice, it reminded him too much of everything his father wanted him to be, too much of the praise his father showered on his protégé and the uncaring look's he would receive. “Levi.” Levi rolled his eyes as he turned around, leaning against the counter as he stared at Erwin, the Erwin. _The_ Erwin- the look alike to Captain America- that every female in the hospital tried to flirt with or ask on dates to no avail.

“What is it Erwin?” Levi asked as Erwin strolled over to the coffee machine next to Levi, he plucked himself a styrofoam cup off of the stack next to the machine, he poured himself a cup, adding some of the creamer that was left next to the machine. He reached across Levi, Levi stiffened, knowing that Erwin was screwing with his psyche. Erwin grabbed a straw from a cup holder, sticking it in his cup he swirled the coffee.

Erwin stared at him, Levi averted his eyes, feeling a little uncomfortable as if Erwin's eyes were tearing into his soul, like the way they had years earlier when both of them had managed to find themselves in the same bed with a slew of I love you spilling from Levi's mouth like a waterfall. Erwin took a sip of his coffee, “I have to meet the director for lunch. Could you take all my calls and schedule my appointments for me?”

Levi nodded, “sure,” he muttered as he took a sip of his coffee. Erwin nodded, crushing his cup in his hand and tossing it into the trash bin, “thanks.” Erwin called out as he left the staff room, his doctor's coat fluttering behind him as he turned down the hall. Levi gripped the mug in his hand, realizing that Erwin had said those exact words to him years ago, those same words he had used the day he had broken up with him.

 

“I'm sorry ma'am, but Dr. Smith isn't in for the day. Would you like to schedule your appointment for another time?” Levi scribbled down a note on a notepad, “okay, thank you for your time.” He pressed the phone back onto the receiver, he looked up at the clock above the nurses’ station, it was an hour before he could take a smoke break, dragging his tongue over his teeth, he felt that familiar crave for nicotine kicking in.

“Levi.” Levi looked up as Petra came behind the nurses’ station, “could you take care of this patient for me? Thanks!" She erased her name from the whiteboard behind the nurses’ station; quickly scribbling Levi's name one the board. Levi looked up again, there was at least forty minutes to go until his smoke break. Levi sighed not liking that he had a random case had been given to him. Scooting his chair back, he took a glance at the whiteboard, a transfusion for some kid. Levi rolled his eyes, how long was it until his smoke break?

 

"Okay, Eren so you're here for your transfusion." Levi looked up from his clipboard as he strolled into the room.

A bright-eyed seven-year-old stared at him. Levi notices that the kid’s eyes seemed to resemble emeralds. The kid’s mother sat on his bed, her hand wrapped around his, squeezing it every couple of seconds. “Eren, sweetheart I'm going across the street to get some food. Do you want anything?” Eren nodded, “a cheeseburger.” Karula smiled as she pressed a kiss to Eren's temple, getting up from the bed, she left the room.

Levi got up from his seat, gathering a cotton ball off the tray next to the bed, he rolled up the sleeve of Eren's sweater, pressing the cold cotton ball to Eren's arm, and he wiped the area down. “Why do have you have on nail polish?” Levi looked up, his eyebrow raised at the kid's question.

“Because I can and I want to.” Eren stared at him, his eyes as wide as saucers, Levi wondered if his eyes were always like that. Eren slightly winced as the needle Levi pressed against his arm, sunk under his skin. Levi hooked up the transfusion and sat down in his seat, and waited until the transfusion was over.

Eren scratched at his arm; he squirmed on the bed, and drummed his feet against the sheets as he twitched impatiently for the transfusion to end. Levi was faring no better as he tapped a finger against his lip, glancing at the clock every few seconds. He enjoyed the peace and quiet, for the few seconds that it was alive, until the kid began to talk of course, but Levi could not even call it that, it was more like a volley of verbal shittery that no human could even understand.

"Why's you hair like that?" Levi stopped his tapping; he glared at this wide eyes kid. Eren just stared back at him. “I like my hair like this.”

“Why?” Levi felt his eye twitch; he wondered how long it would take to strangle the life out of him. “It’s none of your business.”

Levi sighed in contentment as silence filled the space again, he leaned backwards into the chair, and he shut his eyes briefly before a single word sliced through the quietness. “Why?”

Levi's eyes shot open, his eyes narrowed as he glared at Eren, who seemed oblivious to the dark aura radiating from Levi.

“Didn't your parents ever teach you that it was wrong to question others so much?”

Eren shook his head, “no. My dad says that without having asked questions society would not have made it this far. So he says the more questions I ask, the more I learn.” Levi sighed, rolling his eyes he checked the bag, half of the contents of the bag remained. He pressed a hand to his face. He really hated his job.

 

"Hello, Levi." Levi stopped his typing, swiveling his chair away from the computer at the nurse's station, as Petra walked towards him, a clipboard in her hand.

She held it out towards him like an offering. “Erwin said that this is yours.” Levi took the clipboard from her hand; he flipped through the pages, his eyes narrowing with each word he read. Getting up from his seat, he sauntered towards the staff room were Erwin was flirting with a nurse.

Levi cleared his throat as he leaned against the doorframe, the nurse blushed; she muttered some half-ass excuse as she made her way out of the room. Erwin raised a brow as he leaned against the counter, that ego-boosting smirk of his fixed onto his lips. “Did you need something?”

Levi's whole face twitched as a slew of curses aimed at Erwin and this damn job crossed his mind. “Why'd you dump that Yeager kid on me?”

“Your father and I-” Levi nearly laughed at that part…nearly. He bit his tongue hard, until he was certain that he could taste blood in his mouth as he refrained from calling Erwin out on that particular sentence, but then again Erwin did love the phrase “your father and I.” Levi could never forget the smiles on that old fart's face as Erwin would refer to them together as if Erwin was actually his son and that Levi was nothing more than a bastard child.“-we both agreed that it would be best for you to interact with some of the younger patients.”

"The whole wing is fucking full of them." Levi muttered under his breath.

Erwin cocked his head to the side as if he was studying Levi. “This really is a learning experience for you. This is a task, to help you work on your bedside manner, to work on your people skills. To show your father that you really care about you job.”

Levi felt like laughing, he really did, every part of what Erwin was saying to him was nothing more than one big hilarious slap on the knee joke. He crossed his arms, Erwin took a step closer towards him, Levi stiffened, a memory-one that he wished he had thrown into the deepest recesses of his mind- Erwin stepping ever so closely to a young, naive Levi, a blush burned onto his cheeks as the strong scent of Erwin's shampoo drifted under his nose. Levi's eyes fixed on Erwin's mouth as he smiled, leaned in just a little closer, and whispered words that caused Levi to blush even harder...and end up in his bed later.

Levi whipped his head to the side, he snorted, “whatever.” He left quickly strutting out of the room, happy to be out of sight of Erwin's burning gaze. He walked towards room 3b- the Yeager kid's hospital room- knocking on the door; he opened it slightly, and poked his head into the room.

Eren's mother pressed her cheek against her son's head, she stroked his hair, “honey I know it hurts, but you have to be strong to defeat those titans. It'll only hurt for a while and then you'll get stronger.” Levi watched as the Yeager kid scrunched his face up in pain, Levi knocked on the door again.

“I'm here for Eren's transfusion.” He said as he stepped into the room. “Mrs. Yeager, I think it would be best if you left the room for a while.”

Karula Yeager's nose wrinkled as her lips tightened into a firm thin line, “why?”

“It would be best for Eren's mental and physical health that he wasn't psyching himself out right now.” Levi went further into his explanation as Karula’s mouth opened slightly, “Eren is feeling the pain that you're feeling.” She shut her mouth, nodded solemnly and pressed a kiss to her son's temple, “I'll be back soon sweetheart. I'm just going to get a cup of coffee.” She got up from the bed and brushed past Levi into the hallway.

Levi made his way over to the IV drip and began his preparations for Eren's transfusion. Levi noticed that Eren was already squirming even though the transfusion had yet to begin. Levi scowled as he held the fine needle between his index finger and thumb; he could barely stick it into a vein, since the brat would not stop squirming. “Brat, can you stop squirming already!” Eren shook his head. “Why can’t you?” Eren shrugged. Levi sighed, hanging his head; he took a breath and looked at Eren. “We're going to play a game okay?”

Eren's eyes lit up at the announcement of a game, “what's the game?”

“It's called sit still before you end up in a dumpster somewhere.”

Eren's eyebrows furrowed together, “that's not a very great game.”

Levi compelled himself not to roll his eyes, “fine.” He left the room, walking down the hall to the reception room where the staff kept most of the toys and board games for kids, he found the box of checkers, grabbed it and made it back to the room, he plopped the box down on the bed, “here's what we're going to do. We are going to play checkers and you will just sit there. Understand?” Eren nodded, as Levi took of the top of the box, setting up the board and checkers pieces.

Eren eyes the board intently as Levi took advantage of the situation to prep Eren's skin, swabbing the back of his hand with an alcohol soaked cotton ball, he grabbed the IV and gently inserted it into Eren's skin, he was surprised to not hear so much as a peep from the brat. Levi watched the brat as he finally moved a red checkers piece into an open area; they played back and forth Levi capturing one of Eren's pieces and then in a few moves Eren capturing one of Levi's. They played as time flew by, neither of them noticing that the bag of blood had completely drained just a few minutes earlier.

Levi released a small puff of air from his lips as he stood up from his chair. He had won capturing nine of Eren's while he had only managed to capture three of his. He unhooked the IV from Eren's hand, giving the kid a small batman sticker to place on his hand, he leaned over, placing a hand on Eren's head, he ruffled Eren's hair much to his astonishment, “you did well brat, but try a little harder next time.”

 

Levi pulled his jacket around his shoulders a little tighter as snow fell from the gray skies, a few tips landed on his head, making the black strands of hair shine. He shook his head as he made it into the hospital, depositing his jacket in his locker, he took the elevator to the pediatric section of the hospital, and he glanced at the board, checking his appointments as he heard a shout down the hallway. Eren bolted from the waiting room, his mother running after him. “Levi! Levi! I've been practicing playing checkers and I think I've gotten better.”

It was a Thursday, the day Eren came in for his transfusions since his leukemia had been acting up, causing the doctors to increase the frequency of his blood transfusions. Levi nodded as he escorted Eren to an empty room; he immediately brought out the checkers board and hooked Eren up to the IV they played until Eren's transfusion was over. Levi won the game, like he had been for the past four weeks, but even he had to admit that Eren was getting a little better, there were parts of the game where he actually thought that Eren would best him and take one of his pieces, but didn't. He ruffled Eren's hair, “not bad brat. You managed to take five of my pieces this time. You're getting better.” Levi escorted Eren out of the room, handing him off to his mother who stopped Levi when she saw him on her way to checkout her son. “Excuse me. Levi.” She smiled, “thank you for taking care of my son. He is usually restless during his transfusions, but he was actually calm today. Thank you.” Levi nodded his head, giving a slight grunt in response.

He made his way behind the nurse's station, wiping off any assignment he had completed already from under his name. “It looks like you're doing pretty well.”

Levi moved away from the nurse's station, heading towards the staff room where he hoped someone had made a fresh pot of coffee that did not suck. “Don't you have something to do Erwin?" He spat as he felt Erwin following him. He grabbed a paper cup, planting it down on the counter and grabbing the freshly brewed pot of the coffee, he poured the coffee into the cup, adding cream and sugar to the coffee, he grabbed a straw and stirred the liquid around, taking a sip as he felt Erwin lean against the counter next to him. “Would you like to go out for lunch?”

Levi gripped the cup tightly in his hand, his eyes narrowed until his gray eyes became dark to the point that they almost looked black. “What?” He hissed.

“Would you like to go out for lunch?” Erwin enunciated each word as if he had to talk to a small child.

“No.” Erwin shrugged his shoulders as he left the room, muttering, “it’s your loss,” under his breath.

Levi threw away the cup of coffee, no longer having the thirst to drink it since he felt that the drink had covered his tongue in a layer of moss. How dare Erwin just casually ask him out to lunch, Levi wanted to scoff as he kicked his foot at a chair. His hand shook badly as he gripped his arm, sinking down into a chair, he let memories come forth into his mind, ones he should have buried a long time ago, but some part of him stubbornly refused.

 

Levi rolled onto his back, he stretched his limbs, almost knocking a pillow off the bed, his back arched off the bed, before he finally flopped back down onto the bed. He brushed his hair from his eyes as he turned his head to the side; his eyed the closed bathroom door as he heard the sound of rushing water, pitter pattering against the steel of the tub. Sitting up with a small smile on his face, he swung his legs to the floor, he got up, shrugging on a pair of boxers on, he grabbed what he thought where his pants from off the floor, a small picture no bigger than the palm of a hand fell out of one of the pockets. Levi stooped to the ground, picking up the small picture, he flipped it over in his hand, and his smile fell as his grip on the picture tightened, his hand trembled, and he stood rooted to the spot, even after Erwin came out of the bathroom five minutes later. Erwin saw the tightened muscles in Levi's back, “Levi what's wrong?”

“Who is this?” He whispered his voice calm and collected like the way he was at work. Always perfectly calm and collected, there to handle the most frustrating of tasks, as he remained aloof and cold to those around him.

“Who's who?” Erwin asked as he took a step forward towards Levi. Levi whirled around his face displaying none of the waves of emotions that stirred below the surface, his eyes, primarily a shade of grey, reminiscent of steel were now dark like storm clouds pregnant with rain. He threw the picture at Erwin, the picture fluttering to the floor; Erwin stooped down and pinched the picture between his fingers. He stared at Levi, pleading with him through his eyes.

Levi shook his head, “no! No! No!” He whispered repeatedly to himself as he grasped his head in his hands. He knew that look; it was a look of a man who knew that none of his secrets where safe; every single one of them was out in the open. Erwin could not hide any longer.

“Levi it's nothing. I swear.” Erwin stepped forward, his arms held out as he pulled Levi closer to him.

“Don't tell me it's nothing!” Levi screamed as he pushed Erwin away from him, his chest was falling and rising rapidly, his eyes were wild and his whole body shook as if the exterior he had spent years building for himself was just moments away from collapsing. “Just tell me the truth!”

Erwin let his arms fall to his side, “okay, she's my wife and that's my son.”

Levi let a laugh bubble to his chest; he felt the tiny pricks of tears come stab at the corners of his eyes, “your wife and son?” He shook his head as stooped up gathering clothing in his hands; he threw them at Erwin, “just get out!”

Erwin's threw up his hands, swatting the clothing that Levi was throwing at him down to the ground. “Levi! Just let me explain all of this to you, for just a second!”

“No!” Levi yelled as he threw Erwin's shirt at him, “you betrayed me! You abused my trust! Just get out!”

Erwin shook his head as he gathered up his clothing into his arms, he headed towards the apartment door, “thanks for nothing.” He called over his shoulder as he let the door slam behind him.

Levi sank to the floor, letting what he determined to be the last tears he would ever shed fall down his cheeks. That night, he promised himself that he would never let his guard down, let another person so close to heart like the one he had with Erwin. He spent a lot of time building up the ice around his heart, building the wall around him that no one could destruct; he never allowed anyone to get close to him again or ever let himself smile.

 

“Are you upset?” Levi let his hand hover of the checkerboard, his checker piece clutched tightly between his fingers. He ignored the question and placed his piece on the board, swiping up one of Eren's checkers in its place. Eren puffed out his cheeks out, annoyed that Levi was currently ignoring him. Levi looked up, glancing at Eren as a shiver raced through the young boy’s spine. Levi had noticed in the past week that Eren had become pale and ashen. “Are you cold?” Eren shook his head. Levi could blatantly see through the lie.

“When it gets warmer do you want to go out for a walk?” Eren's eyes lit up at the prospect of being able to take a stroll with the young, male nurse. He nodded his head with a great happiness. Levi's eyes drifted to the brightly colored paper that Eren had placed on the bed, “what's that?” Levi asked, motioning towards the paper with his checker piece as he placed it down. Eren picked up the stack of brightly colored paper in his hands, “its origami paper. My mom saw it in the store and bought it for me, but I don't know how to fold it.”

Levi eyed the paper, as he swiped one of Eren's pieces of the board. “Do you want to learn?” He asked.

“Yes.” Eren said with a slight nod of his head and a twinkle in his eyes that seemed to make them shimmer like emeralds. Levi reached for the stack of origami papers; he grabbed a yellow colored one and placed it on his leg. Eren stared at Levi's fingers as they folded that small piece of paper, only to crease it, unfold it again, and fold it more. Eren felt as if he was watching a sacred act that he was not supposed to be privy to, he gasped under his breath as Levi held up the finished masterpiece between his fingers. It was a single crane, but it Levi had folded it in such a way that it seemed that if life had been breathed into the paper itself, like it would at any moment take flight and fly off into the chilly autumn sky.

Eren reached out with his tiny hands, his eyes bewitched by the paper crane, he carefully slid the crane from Levi's fingers as if the crane was a precious item that had to be treated with the utmost care. Levi watched Eren, a slight smirk on his lips as he grabbed another paper from the stack. “Here, I'll teach you how to fold it.” That phrase snapped Eren out of his trance and he placed the paper crane down on the bed beside him, yet far away so that he would not crush it.

He scooted closer to Levi watching as the young man taught him all the tricks and folds that went into producing a paper crane, he squealed with glee when he was able to produce his own version of it in a beautiful blue paper dotted with a floral arrangement.

“Hey, Levi-” Petra stopped at the doorway of the room, ducking out of sight quickly, she peeked her head inside and a smile graced her lips as she watched Levi interact with the young boy, she placed a hand over her lips. With a shake of her head, she walked away.

It was close to half an hour later when Eren had gathered up the countless tiny origami shaped animals that he and Levi had folded together during the duration of his blood transfusion. Eren waved from his position near the entrance of the hallway, his mother standing beside him, her hand lightly resting on his back. “Bye, Mr. Levi!” He shouted from where he stood, waving his arm in the air. Levi found himself smiling, as he slightly raised his arm, giving Eren a small wave as the kid disappeared from his viewpoint. Levi spun on heels to catch Petra leaning against the nurses’ station, a smile on her face and her chin resting in the palm of her hand. “That was too adorable. I should have snapped a picture with my camera.”

Levi rolled his eyes as he walked behind the nurses’ station, “I don't know what you're talking about.” He said as he plunked down into a seat next to Petra.

“You know what I'm talking about. The way you were around the Yeager kid. I have not seen you this happy in years. It's like your becoming a new person.”

“Yea, well don't expect me to turn into Kris Kringle overnight.” Levi broke into a grin as the playful words left his lips.

Weeks passed by quickly as months began to blend into a continuous stream of days that seemed to pass by to quickly to remember their full entirety, hours were weaved into the tapestry of time and minutes were lost in the sea of forgetfulness as Levi began to spend more time with Eren. Levi stared down at the pale pink paper in his hands as he began to fold it, Eren's small fingers mimicking his every move in hope of producing an origami piece that was as stunning as Levi's own was. Every Thursday Levi had been teaching Eren to fold various plants and animals with the origami papers, foxes, cranes, dogs, roses. Anything and everything, Levi had found it to be a source of amusement for the both of them. Levi looked forward to these scheduled appointments as a way for him to spend time with the young boy and enjoy the company that he provided for Levi, who was quite unfamiliar with the ways of compassion. “Levi!” Levi looked forward to that tiny little shout of joy whenever Eren would say his name. “What are we going to make today?” Eren asked him as Levi slipped the IV into his wrist.

“It’ll be a lily.” Levi sank down onto the bed. He plucked a sheet of origami paper from the stack that Eren now carried with him all the time. He noticed the pale pinkness of the paper. It reminded him of spring, a time that seemed so far away, but just right around the corner. As he began to fold the paper, he looked up, noticing the strange look of deliberation on the young boy's face. “Kid, what's eating at you?” Levi asked.

Eren pursed his lips, opened his mouth and closed it, shaking his head as he did so. “It’s nothing." He eventually muttered as he focused intently on folding the paper correctly in his hands.

Levi tossed the half-finished origami paper down onto the bed; he shot Eren a stern look, “seriously kid, if there's something eating at you, you can tell me.”

Eren pursed his lips yet again, as his hands stopped twitching against the paper. “My parents are thinking of adopting.”

Levi raised his brow as he creased the edges of the paper, “and what's wrong with that?”

“They're going to adopt a girl.”

“So?”

Eren threw the half-formed lily down onto the bed, his hands curled into tight fists, “so? Girls are gross! They're always busy playing with makeup and they're afraid to get dirty.”

“Well maybe you'll like your sister.” Eren shook his head at that. Levi placed the last fold on the origami paper until it formed a beautiful pale pink lily. He reached across the bed, grabbed Eren's hand and unfolded it, until it was flat. He placed the lily in the palm of his hand, “you won't know until you experience it.”

Eren stared at the palm of his hand expectedly, as if the lily held an answer that his mind had yet to realize. Levi got up from the bed, he unhooked Eren's from the IV and handed him a batman sticker. Eren placed it on the back of his hand as he jumped off the bed; he slipped on a pea green coat and then wrapped a heavy, red cotton scarf that his mother had knitted for him a few weeks ago around his neck. Levi handed him the stack of origami papers they had left.

They both rushed out of the room and Eren padded down the hallway until he crashed into his mother's legs. They waved goodbye to Levi as they walked away. Levi looked up at the clock above the nurses’ station and was surprised to realize that it was close to 5 p.m. considering that he would have to pull a double shift later that night, he decided that it would be best to go grab a cup of coffee or at least a quick snack. He was walking towards the staff room when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he quickly turned around and a saw a bubbly woman with her hair in a ponytail and glasses waiving behind him, he vaguely remembered seeing her around the hospital. “You're...” He pointed at her, trying desperately to remember her name.

“Hange Zoë.” She sang; she bounced on the balls of her feet as if she had less than an hour ago downed a whole case of red bull by herself. “I'm the head of the pediatrics.”

“Right...” Levi bowed his head, remembering that he had met her at some social function for the hospital and thought her to be both odd and eccentric. “Well it was great meeting you. I have to go.” He motioned to an unseen place over his shoulder. He began to walk away.

“Ahh, wait!” She called to him; he stopped in mid step. She quickly strode towards him. “The hospital's throwing a Halloween party-”

He eyed her warily, “and?”

“We don't have enough volunteers, so some of the staff was wondering if you would like to help out.”

“No.”

Her face fell; she clasped her hand together in a prayer like manner and pouted, “please?”

Levi shook his head, as he crossed his arms against his chest, “no. I'm not doing it.”

Hange stared at him; she stared at him with an intensity that could surely melt of a human head if she had the ability to do it. “Then you leave me with no choice.” She huffed.

 

It was Halloween and Levi found himself sporting some cat ears and a tail to match with it. He glared at Petra as she attempted to stifle her bout of giggles behind her hands, tears formed in the corners of her eyes, she leaned over, placing her hands on her knees as laughter bubbled from her throat and projected itself out into the open staffroom. “Levi...” She gasped for air, “I can't-I can't-” she gasped for more air as she wrapped her arms around her stomach, shaking her head she left the room, he could hear her laughter floating all the way down the hall.

“Levi.” Hange came into the room, a broomstick clasped in her left hand and a witch’s hat resting on her head. Levi thought the outfit complimented her personality, she was an absolute witch and he began to toy with the idea that she would melt if he just threw water on her. She stopped, giving a Levi a once over, before a shit eating grin lit up her face, “well, don't you look...cute.”

Levi's jaw ticked, “I don't do cute.”

She cocked her head to the side, “really? But you're so tin-” Levi glared at her, quickly shutting her up; she curtsied in her skirt and with a dramatic flair said, “come my companion of the night.” She placed the broomstick between her legs and a series of witch like cackles filled the air. “We have kids to gift with sugary sweets!”

 

Levi watched from his position against the wall as Hanji crouched down and threw in a handful of candy into the pumpkin shaped pail of a small child no older than five dressed in a skeleton costume. Hange stood up, shaking out her legs a bit, as she looked over her shoulder; she placed her hands on her hips and stared at him.

“What?”

“Couldn't you at least look a little livelier and less doom and gloom? Interact with the kids! Hand out some candy!” Hange exclaimed as she produced a sack of candy from behind her back and handed it over to Levi. She pulled him away from the wall and face him a little push in the direction of a small group of children that where with their parents congregating in the corner of the cafeteria. With an exasperate sigh and a glare over his shoulder Levi sauntered over towards the children, they spotted him and must of sensed the type of mood that was currently being projected from his body because the kids seemed to quake in their boots as they stared up at Levi with big doe like eyes. He crouched down opening the sack of candy; he held it out for the kids to see what was in it. A young girl dressed up like Velma from the Scooby-Doo series hesitantly stepped forwards, her hand stretched out as she grabbed a small toffee from the bag, this encouraged the other kids to reach inside the bag as well and grab all the candy they could grasp in their small hands. “Thank you!” The little girl and her two companions shouted before they ran off. “Trick or treat!” Levi heard that tiny shout from behind him. Levi got up from his crouch and turned to face whoever it was behind him. “Eren?” Eren laughed, nodding as Levi recognized who he was. He was dressed in a silver armor, a short broadsword was clearly strapped to his hip and the most remarkable part of his costume was the knight’s helmet that rested atop his head. Eren reached up, pulling the helmet off his head, and tucked it under his arm, his hair was messy, sticking out at random places and plastered to his forehead. “It's me silly.”

Levi felt himself smile, his lips turning up at the corners of his mouth as his smile made his eyes shine with a radiant light behind them. “And what are you supposed to be?”

Eren placed his hands against his hip and puffed his chest of confidently, “I'm a paladin and I'm here to protect everyone from the all of the titans that come out tonight.” Levi chuckled; he placed a hand on top of Eren's head and proceeded to ruffle his already messy hair. “That's righteous of you.”

Eren attempted to brush his hair down, as he stared up at Levi with a confused gleam in his eyes, “what does righteous mean?”

Levi opened his mouth prepared to explain to Eren the meaning of the word when he looked up his eyes quickly widening and then narrowing as the new occupant came into the room. “What's he doing here?” he murmured under his breath as Erwin looked around the room, his eyes fell on Levi's and they stared very briefly at one another before Erwin's attention was drawn away by a group of kids who flocked towards him, admiring his captain America costume. “Stay right here, I'll be back.” Levi said to Eren, handing him the sack of candy that was gripped tightly in his right hand. Levi picked his way across the room, coming to a stop near Erwin as he did his best captain America impressions for the group of kids around him. Erwin glanced at him, and then looked back at the kids. “Alright kids, Captain America has to go defeat the bad guys now, so you should run off now.” The kids scampered off as Erwin now turned his attention to Levi, a bright smile on his face. “Hello, Levi. How are you doing?”

Levi crossed his arms as he glared at Erwin. “What are you doing here?”

The smile slipped from Erwin's face, “what I can't come to a Halloween party that the hospital is holding? You do realize that I am a member of this hospital right. I can attend the party if I want to.”

Levi scoffed; he briefly closed his eyes and looked away from Erwin. “You're an insufferable ass.” He exclaimed, turning away from Erwin, he gritted his teeth as he felt one of his hands slip around his wrist, tugging him backwards and keeping him in place. ‘Let go of my wrist.” Levi hissed, keeping his voice low so that none of the kids or parents would be alarmed.

“Why are you acting this way Levi? You never acted this way when we were-”

“Don't. Just don't.” Levi wrenched his wrist away from Erwin's grasp.

Erwin's brows furrowed together, he shook his head, “Levi you're being ridiculous Levi. I understand we ended on bad terms, but you didn't even give me a chance to explain myself.”

Levi shook his head, he just wanted so desperately to leave the room, the leave the hospital and go back to his apartment and collapse into his bed and just forget about this whole entire night. His eyes flickered to the cafeteria door that was a few feet away, the thought of kicking Erwin in the balls and then leaving proved to be a very entertaining idea right now.

Twelve steps.

That is all Levi would have to take and then he would be home free. All it would take is twelve small steps. Just a small movement of his feet and he would be out of here, away from Erwin, away from all the problems that seemed to shackle him down in life, but no he just had to open his mouth, come up with one last retort that would shut Erwin up. “You had your chance to explain a long time ago. I don't want to listen to anything you have to say.”

“Levi.” Erwin reached out, grasping Levi's wrist once more.

“You assh-”

“Leave Levi alone!” Erwin gasped out in pain, as he released Levi's wrist, his own hands reaching down to cup his right shin. He groaned in frustration as tiny little fists pummeled his hips. “Leave Levi alone!” Eren shouted at the top his lungs, drawing the attention of hospital staff and parents.

“Eren! Eren!” Levi hissed, he reached for Eren's shoulder and pulled the pint size firecracker away from Erwin. “I'm fine Eren. There's no need for you to throw punches.”

Eren wheeled around on Levi, his mouth set into a pout and his hands balled into fists. “But he was making you upset.” He said, pointing an accusatory finger at Erwin. Levi nearly chuckled at the protective attitude that Eren displayed. There was something about this kid that just made him want to lose the mask he wore all the time and just…be himself. “Eren. I'm fine, really I'm fine.” He assured the young boy. Eren cautiously glanced at Levi then at Erwin and back to Levi again, he pouted and then sourly nodded his head, “if you say so.” He said slowly, “but I'm not leaving your side.” He slipped his small hand in Levi's and stood firmly at his side.

Erwin still rubbing his knee stared at Eren. “Since we have a young companion here. I think it would be fitting if we had this conversation later.”

“Or never.” Levi spat out.

The corner of Erwin's mouth twitched bitterly, “seriously? Levi you're acting like a child!”

Levi scowled; he tugged on Eren's hand and attempted to pull the small boy away, when a small happy shout drew their attention. “Daddy!” A blonde child bolted into the room, he jumped and Erwin caught him, pulling him close to his body so that the young boy rested on his hip. “Levi this is my son Armin.”

Levi's brows raised, “your son?”

Erwin nodded, “yes my son. Armin why don’t you say hi.” Armin giggled, burying his face into his father's neck, before he shyly uttered a greeting.

“Where's your wife then?” There was bitterness in that question and Erwin could hear it as soon as the question made contact with the air.

“She's dead.” Erwin said tersely.

Levi's eyes widened in absolute shock, he suddenly felt like a huge jackass for what happened in the past, his mouth was suddenly dry. “Wh-what happened?” He did not hear himself stutter over the word.

“She died of complications at birth. Armin here is the miracle that came out of it.” Erwin nuzzles his cheek against Armin's hair, causing the boy to erupt in another fit of giggles.

“I-I'm sorry.” Levi genuinely did feel this way, he felt completely sorry, and he had jumped to a conclusion without even hearing Erwin out, without even hearing the story. He felt like he had been punched in the gut and it was a feel that he deserved.

Erwin shook his head, “you didn't know, so it's fine.”

Levi shook his head, raking a lone hand through his thin black hair. “I feel like a total jack-idiot.” He quickly switched his word choice when he realized the company that was around the two men.

Erwin smiled. “Well you kind of are, but that doesn’t’ mean that I wasn’t one as well.”

Levi scratched at the back of his head. “Is this where we're supposed to reconcile or where you punch me in the face?”

Erwin hummed to himself, “this is where we'll reconcile." Levi stuck out his hand; Erwin grasped it with his free hand and pulled Levi into a hug. He pulled away, “now we've reconciled."

“Daddy I want some candy!” Armin yelled, causing Erwin to chuckle with fatherly pride. Erwin nodded in Levi's direction before bidding him and Eren a goodbye.

Levi sighed as father and son walked away. “Eren.” Levi turned as a tiny little girl-well she was tiny, but a little bit taller than Eren by a few inches- came sauntering over towards them. Levi noticed that she seemed to be Asian or at least had some Asian features about her. Her long black tresses trailed behind her as she walked, coming all the way down to her back; a long red scarf had been wrapped around her neck and covered her mouth slightly. “Eren,” she repeated again, “mom says that it's time to go. We have school tomorrow.” Levi chuckled inwardly to himself; he thought she almost sounded motherly.

Eren looked up at Levi, his eyes shining as he introduced the young girl as his sister Mikasa, the one he had talked about weeks earlier his parents had been contemplating on adopting. Mikasa stared at Levi, her face a blank canvas. “I don't like you.” She stared in a matter of fact voice.

“Oh.” Levi was taken aback at the statement as he watched her wrench her brother's hand from his. “Aren't you a charming little girl.” He replied sarcastically.

Eren oblivious to the malicious, protective aura emanating from Mikasa whined. “I don't want to go. Can't you ask mom if we can stare a little while longer?”

Mikasa shook her head. “Mom said it's time to go.”

Eren pouted, he looked up at Levi. “I have to go. I'll see you on Thursday?”

“Brat, you see me every Thursday. What make you think you won't?”

Eren seemed to hesitate and thought for a second, “just tell me if that Captain America jerks makes you cry again.” He said before running off with his sister. Levi watched them, a bubble of warmth starting in his belly and then spreading off to all parts of his body, the warmth tingles in his throat and burst out into cafeteria into the form of laughter. Levi gasped, gulping in huge amounts of air as he laughed and laughed, he bended over, his right hand resting on his right knee and his left hand covering his mouth as tears formed in the corners of his eyes. He could feel eyes on him, staring at him, as if he was the new main attraction at a zoo. He did not care, their stares seemed to bounce of him and in that moment, he felt more alive than he had ever been in his whole life.

 

“Hey, Levi.” Levi looked up from the series of documents he was filling out, as Erwin strolled towards where he sat near the reception desk.

“What is it?” Levi asked as he rested his pen down, turning his chair so that he faced Erwin.

Erwin grabbed a nearby chair and wheeled it so that he right next to Levi, he spun the chair around and sat in it, his arms rested on top of the headrest. “I don't know how to ask you this, but...” Erwin looked away nervously; his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. “Do you want to go out for lunch sometimes?”

Levi looked at Erwin incredulously, he looked away, a little nervous. “Are-are you asking me on a date?”

Erwin's widened at this, his back straightened as he feverishly shook his head, “that's not what I'm asking. I don't want to date you. Our relationship is done and over with and I think where we both are now, we are at our most happiest. What I am asking is if, you know one day- just as friends- you would like to join me for lunch…with my son Armin of course.”

Levi nodded, “I would be delighted.”

Erwin was not exactly expecting that type of answer of course and his face expressed that. “Really? I mean that is great! So, how's this Saturday?”

Levi shrugged, “that's fine.”

Erwin beamed at him, as he got up from his chair, “remember. Saturday.”

Levi turned his chair away from Erwin, waving his hand in a goodbye fashion. “I got it Erwin. Go flirt with your patients or something.” He could hear Erwin's booming laugh echoing behind him as he made his way to whatever patient he had to treat. Levi sighed, linking his hands behind his head; he leaned back into the chair and looked at the clock that rested on the mantel of the nurse's station. Eren's transfusion should have been done by now. Unlacing his fingers, Levi stood up from the chair and made his way to Eren's room, he knocked on the door lightly, before pulling down on the handle and letting himself in. “Eren? How are you feeling?” He asked as he closed the door behind him. He waited and did not receive an answer. “Eren?” He called out again, as worry bubbled underneath his skin. He briskly walked over to the bed and placed his index and middle finger on the carotid artery in the neck. He waited...and sighed in relief as he felt a strong pulse pulsating beneath his fingers. It seemed as if Eren where only asleep. Levi grasped the boy's shoulder and lightly shook him awake. “Hey, Eren. Wake up.”

Eren stirred awake, he squinted sleepily at Levi. “What time is it?” He asked as he attempted to rub the sleep from his eyes.

“It's time for you to leave. You're transfusion is over.”

Eren nodded, though he did not exactly look at Levi when he did so. Levi's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed that Eren looked a little pale and clammy and that his motor skills were sluggish. “Hey, Eren? Are you okay?” Levi placed the palm of his hand against Eren's forehead, he pulled his hand away as soon as it even touched Eren's forehead. He felt cold, extremely so, as if he had been left in a tub of ice for hours. The cogs in Levi's mind began to churn as he examined Eren who was currently slipping on his coat and gathering up the origami papers that where left on the bed along with a frog, Levi had folded earlier made from an origami paper with floral patterns on the front. Levi patted Eren's shoulder. “Eren, wait a bit. I am going to check your blood pressure. Okay?”

Eren nodded his head, “I just want to go home and sleep.” He slurred. His head leaned to the side a bit, as if it was too much of a task to hold his head up. Levi walked around the bed and grabbed the blood pressure cuff from out of the little basket near the bed. “Eren. I need you to hold up your hand for me.” Eren did so as Levi strapped the electronic blood pressure monitor around Eren's wrist. He pressed the middle button on the monitor and waited as the cuff started to tighten around Eren's wrist. The monitor beeped as the cuff tightened to its maximum capabilities, Levi pulled Eren's arm closer so he could see the monitor better; 86 over 54. Eren's blood pressure was low. Eren's head began to nod against his chest as Levi unstrapped the cuff. Levi lightly smacked Eren's cheek to wake him up. “Eren. Eren. What did you eat this morning for breakfast?”

“Uhm...a bowl of oatmeal?” Eren seemed to sway on the bed; Levi held his face in his hands as Eren's whole body went slack. Levi let Eren's body fall to the bed as he rushed to the door, throwing it wide open. “Doctor! Doctor!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, “Doctor!”

 

Mike-the Chef pediatrician of the entire department- softly shut the door to Eren's room behind him. Levi quickly pushed himself off the nurse's station and made sharp steps towards Mike, worry and fear written all over his face like an open book. Mike simply shook his head as Levi's footsteps fell closer towards him. “Levi. I'd rather wait until the parents get here.”

“Mr. Ackerman! Mr. Ackerman! What's wrong with my son!?” Levi's eyes shot to the running forms of Eren's family. Karula looked like worse for wear, her hair was put up in a messy ponytail and she was wearing an apron underneath her jacket, her husband was right beside her, Mikasa held in his arms and there where dark circles underneath his eyes. “Mr. Ackerman!” Karula cried out, her hands shot out and gripped Levi's shoulders with a surprising amount of strength for her frame. “Tell me. What's wrong with my son?”

Mike stepped forward, “Mr. and Mrs. Yeager. Please, be calm." He said in a soothing voice, his eyes having a gentleness to them that seemed to calm down the most emotional patients and family members. “Eren is going to be fine.”

Levi watched as tears bubbled in the corner of Karula's eyes; her grip on his shoulders slackened, until her arms fell to her sides. She pressed her hands to her heart and sighed in relief.

“However,” Mike continued, “I do wish to talk to you about Eren being hospitalized...permanently.”

Karula's mouth fell open in an o as the twinkling light in her eyes seemed to dim. “Grisha,” she whispered, she took a step backwards as if she had just been pushed, her hand shot out and she gripped her husband's arm. She feverishly shook her head, her braid falling off her shoulder. “No! Eren's fine!” She said with enough conviction that she hopped to believe what she was saying, but even Levi could see that she didn't even believe in the own words that where passing her lips. “The blood transfusions are working just fine! Eren does not need to be hospitalized! He's coming home with us!” Karula made for the door to Eren's hospital room, but Mike's arm shot out, stopping her from taking a step further towards the door. “Mrs. Yeager, I can't let you do that. We need to talk about the further treatments Eren needs. Now if you're worried about the affordability-”

“This isn't about the money!” Karula screamed, hot tears where pouring out of her eyes now. Her hands trembled at her sides, her hands grasped at her coat in an attempt to still them. Grisha calmly strode towards his wife and slipped a consoling arm around her shoulders, he pulled her closer towards him, until her face pressed against his pea coat and she sobbed her tears into it.

Mike cleared his throat before he spoke again, his air of professionalism still in place even during this heartbreaking moment. Levi felt the edges of his heart being pulled by a nonexistent puppeteer. Levi sympathized with the family then and there. He knew the statistics, all doctors knew, medicine was based all around it. In a world where the leading cause of death was heart disease and cancer. No one person was meant to have an immortal life.

In life, your birthday was a fixed point. You were born in this specific year, in this specific month and on this specific day at this very specific hour and minute. Your birth was a fixed point, but when it came to one's death, it was always fluctuating. The choices you made and the obstacles and health hazards that popped up would always have a hand in changing how one would die and when and this thought depressed Levi even more than he already was, he knew the statistics for kid Eren's age and their survival rates for ALL or Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. It was 40% and that was only if remission happened and this definitely was not Eren's first rodeo with the disease.

Mike cleared his throat yet again, “Mr. and Mrs. Yeager. I think it would be more beneficial if we discussed Eren's treatment in a quieter setting.”

Grisha nodded as Mike began to walk down the hall in an attempt to escort the family to the waiting room that would be nearly empty now that it was late in the evening.

“Wait,” Mikasa piped up, Levi realized this was the only time he had heard her utter anything at all after having been brought here. “I want to stay with Eren.”

There was a tense silence in the hospital air as if all the oxygen had suddenly been sucked out if the building and no one dared to speak in order to conserve the remnants of their lives. The silence was broken as Karula once again pressed her tear streaked face into the coat of her husband and released a series of wet, choking sobs.

Grisha peered nervously at his daughter, his face wrought with emotion and his voice thick as well with it as he answered her. “You can't do that sweetheart.”

Mikasa pursed her lips, “why can't I?” She asked tersely.

“Uhm, well…” Grisha stalled. “It's because-”

“It's because your brother is very sick right now.” Levi answered. “And if you were to visit Eren right, he could get even sicker than he is right now.”

Mikasa's lips drew into a thin pink line, as she in the slightest of manners nodded her head to show that she understood.

Mike led the family to the waiting room, along with Levi. Who tried to return to the nurse's station to finish other patient’s charts, but Mike had felt that since Levi was well versed with Eren's medical history and the one that Eren seemed to be most comfortable with, come along to discuss Eren's future with the family as well. The Yeager family seated themselves into empty chairs, Mikasa sat on her father's lap and Levi and Mike took seats opposite of them.

“As you know,” Mike began, “There are a few options Eren can take in order to get him cured of his ALL or send it into remission.”

“What are his chances of surviving?” Grisha was the one to ask this.

“If this was Eren's first time dealing with ALL, we would be talking along the lines of 80%, but since his ALL came back several months ago it's anywhere from 40 to 50%. Now this percentage is not finite, medicine has come a long way in this field; we are talking about new technology and new medicines. We doctors know so much more about leukemia than we used to several years ago.”

“I know the latest treatments Doctor. I'm also one myself; I have my PhD in neurology.”

“We'll then you know of Eren's choices. Your son can go through radiation therapy, which we can admit externally, throughout the whole body, or through a targeted section of his body. With external radiation, we can admit x-rays into Eren's body in hopes of getting rid of his ALL. With the targeted radiation however, we will inject monoclonal antibodies into his bloodstream that will deliver the radiation directly to his cancer cells. The whole body radiation therapy is where Eren's whole body will be subjected to radiation. However there are few risks to this procedure.”

“And what are those risks?”

“Well, there are low blood counts which may increase Eren's risk of getting infections or internal bleedings, nausea, fatigue, hair loss and irritation of the skin along with other minor symptoms. The long-term symptoms however are dependent on the length of his treatments and how frequent they are as well as the dosage.

Now however we were to give Eren chemotherapy. We can conduct it either as his primary treatment to get rid of his ALL or as a combination with the radiation therapy to destroy any of the remaining cancer cells in his body that may remain after the treatment.

Now Eren's treatment will be customized to suit his needs and diagnosis. What we commonly do for patients who are suffering from ALL is a chemotherapy treatment that begins with induction chemotherapy, we utilize a combination of drugs in order to destroy as many leukemia cells as possible and bring the blood counts to normal levels. This would be then followed by consolidation chemotherapy, to destroy any remaining leukemia cells that cannot be seen in the blood or the bone marrow. Now this is a less intensive course of chemotherapy and it usually is used to reduce the risk of the ALL recurring after treatment has finished.

We can try a combination of treatments in order to ensure that Eren's ALL is treated effectively.”

“What about Levi?” Karula lifted her head to stare at Levi and Dr. Mike, her eyes flickering between the both of them.

“Well, Levi will still care for Eren after his treatments.” Mike answered, his brow raised a little. “I mean if that's what you wish?”

Karula glanced briefly at her husband, before she nodded.

It was hours later. When the moon was high in the sky and the air had turned chilly and crisp that the Yeager family had left the hospital. Eren had been checked in for permanent hospitalization that Levi brought him some of the hospital food from the cafeteria to eat.

“This tastes like crap.” Eren muttered as he stuck out his tongue, the cold air in the hospital invaded his mouth as he attempted to rid his taste buds of the burnt, powdered cheese that the cafeteria staff attempted to pass off as macaroni and cheese. Eren let his spoon clatter back into the bowl as he pushed the tray away from him.

“It can't be that bad.” Levi muttered as he took the tray from Eren, scooped up some of the pasta onto the spoon, and stuck it into his mouth. His eyes watered as he struggled to swallow down the disgusting Mac and cheese. Now Levi knew why rarely anyone ever ate at the cafeteria here. Levi gasped as the awful, god forsaken Mac and cheese hit the bottom of his stomach like a stone. Levi gagged as he let the spoon fall back into the bowl; he placed the back of his hand against his mouth. God let’s just say he knew he was going to be up all night, dying in his bathroom. “God. That tastes like shit.” He muttered as he fell back into his chair.

There was a comfortable silence as Eren leaned back into the pillows that where propped up behind him. Levi folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes as the sound of the wind blowing furiously outside filled the room.

“....Levi?”

Levi sighed as the silence was broken and his catnap was disturbed, “what is it Eren?”

“Am I going to die?”

Levi's eyes shot open as he looked at Eren, really looked, for the first time since this young boy came to this hospital to get a blood transfusion. He peered into Eren's eyes and realized that he was no longer looking at a child who was a brave and headstrong child and willing to protect all that he held close to his heart with all of his being, but a child that was scared and terrified of the unknown that came after life. Eren was just a simple child, once you stripped down all the layers that made him, all that was left was a young child, scare and alone and having to battle a disease that he had for nearly all his life. He had not even begun living, he had not experienced life and he probably never would. Eren would never have his first kiss, the joys of making friends, going to prom, moving to college, getting a job and spending the rest of life with someone that truly loved him.

This thought left a bitter taste in Levi's mouth.

He did not want to think about this anymore.

Eren was staring at him expectantly, waiting for an answer. Moreover, Levi gave him one.

“I don't know Eren.” Levi sighed, he uncrossed his arms and placed a hand onto of Eren's head, ruffling his hair, “but I will tell you this. How about when you get better, you and I take a trip to the beach.”

“Just the two of us?” Levi nodded.

“Just the two of us.”

“What if it's cold?”

“Then we won't swim, but I'll still take you.” Eren beamed at this. A wide smile lit up his face, banishing the dark mood that seemed to have settled in the room like a thick cloud. Levi patted Eren's head and told the young boy to get some rest. He took the tray up with him as he made his way for the light switch on the wall; he turned around, his hand already hovering on the light switch as he watched the slow fall and rise of Eren's chest as he quickly fell asleep. He turned the lights off and closed the door behind him.

He nearly jumped out of his skin as shut the door; he placed a hand over his heart and gave a non-threatening glare to Erwin. “What are you doing here?”

“Mike told me about Eren's situation.”

“And?” Levi kept walking; Erwin followed behind him.

“Why are making promises you won't be able to keep?” Levi pressed the button for the elevator and paused.

“Who says I'm not going to keep them?” They both stepped into the elevator as it opened; Levi pressed the button for the cafeteria.

“Levi, you know as much as I that Eren's going to die. He is not going to live with the odds stacked so high against him. He only has a 40% chance at living, at best, if there are no other complications that arise from his treatments.”

Levi shrugged, “so maybe he's a rare case, maybe he won’t die, maybe he’ll beat the odds."

“And what if he isn't?” The elevator doors slid open and Erwin stepped out. Levi stood in that elevator, lost in his own thoughts, his brain chewing over what Erwin had said. It was not until he heard the sign of the elevator doors sliding open again that he realized he had missed his floor.

 

“I'm bald!” Eren screamed as he touched his freshly shaven head with his right hand while his left held up the mirror.

“You’re supposed to be bald, dear. Otherwise it'll just fall out when you get your radiation done.” Karula chuckled as she watched Mikasa and Eren rub his head.

There was a knock on the door, before it opened and Levi came in, wheeling a wheel chair into the room. He brought it close to the bed. “Alright. Eren. It's time for your radiation treatment.” The room took on a gloomy mood as Eren slid his way into the wheel chair. He turned around and waved to his mother and sister as Levi wheeled him out of the room and down to the radiology department.

As the doctors there took Eren out of his hands and ensured the young boy that, everything would be okay as they wheeled him past the doors to the radiology room. As the doors swung shut, an indescribable feeling bubbled in his chest; he brought a hand up to his heart and scrunched up the material of his uniform underneath his hand as it balled up. He stared at the doors as they swung for a final time only to still. A feeling of dread consumed his whole entire being, making his gut do multiple flips and his skin feel itchy. Why did he get this feeling that he was saying goodbye?

 

October had bowed its head and let November dance right past it and now November was in its last two weeks and ready to give way to December. The hospital had already put out its Christmas decorations, stockings, balloons, and streamers. There was a large Christmas tree in the lobby of the hospital itself; there where even real Christmas presents wrapped in beautiful wrapping papers stuffed under the tree. As the days came and went the doctors had tried all sorts of combinations of treatments to treat Eren's ALL. They had increased the dosages and the frequencies. Tried different drugs, tried everything in the book.

Levi was there Mike had broken the news to the Yeager family. The memory was fresh in his mind. Mike had stood firm and tall as the Yeager family stood across from him, they were outside of Eren's room.

“Mr. and Mrs. Yeager, it's very unfortunate that I have to tell you this, but there's nothing more we can do.” Mike sympathetically looked at the parents. “I'm sorry to tell you this, but your son is not going to make it.”

Karula, Grisha, and Mikasa had all broken out into tears. Their wailing sobs were the loudest thing in the hospital so far. Everyone that was on that floor glanced at them with sympathy and anguish. They had entered the room and stayed with Eren for a few hours until they came out of the room, tears in their eyes and their hearts heavy.

Levi had gone into the room after they left. The room was dim and Eren lay against the pillows on his bed. His head was bald, his skinny clammy and gray, his lips where white and his eyes, his eyes where hollow and dead, like there was no more life there. “Levi?”

“Yes, Eren?”

“I'm going to die, aren't I?”

“....yes...”

“I-I-” Eren paused, his lips trembling and his hands curling into fists as they bunched up the hospital sheets. “I don't want to die!” Hot tears rolled down Eren's cheek as a flood of feelings poured out of him, his body shuddered as cried. Levi moved closer to the bed, he hopped up and sat on it, pulling Eren closer to him and wrapping his arms around his body as Eren cried his pain, heartbreak, fears, and sorrows against him. He cried and cried, until there was nothing left to cry about and Levi was there to cry with him.

 

It was December and Levi was currently in Eren's room. Through the window, they both could see snow falling from the sky in flurries, falling to the snow covered ground. Eren was slowly getting weaker and weaker by the days, everyone on staff could see that and they tried their best to cheer Eren up. Petra had brought him some Swedish fish and a bag of snickers that was generally forbidden in this unit of the hospital. Hange had spent some time with him and in Levi's opinion scarred Eren forever with her retelling of a family of abnormally tall people that had cannibalistic tendencies. Erwin and Armin had come in and they had given Eren Christmas gifts. Mike had brought in a bag of roasted chestnuts for the whole staff and Eren to share. Generally, everyone was trying to make Eren comfortable and happy with the time Eren had left.

Levi had yet to find a gift to give to Eren. He searched for the perfect gift he could give to him, something that would make him happy. He did not have to look too far.

It was the fifth of December when Levi had begun to notice the paper cranes beginning to pop all over Eren's room. They lined the bottom of the bed, and the table next to him. All in all there where at least 20. Levi sat down with Eren that day and questioned him on the sudden appearance of these paper cranes.

“I'm trying to make a thousand of them.” Eren told Levi as he took up a fresh seat of origami paper and began to fold it into the shape of a crane.

“Why?” Levi watched his small hands fold and crease the paper.

“There's this story that if you fold a thousand cranes then one of your wishes will come true.”

Levi scoffed; it was nothing more than pure superstition. Just by folding a thousand paper cranes, a wish would come true? It was a story likely created by someone who dreamed to big only to have their wings clipped so that they fell from the sky.

The days passed. The sixth became the seventh. The seventh became the eighth. The ninth became the tenth. So forth and so forth. The paper cranes increased as well; soon there were 30, then 40, then that 40 soon became 50. With each paper crane, that Eren folded it seemed like a spark came back into his eye, a tiny little spark that shined brightly. However, with each increasing crane, he became weaker as well as the disease ravaged his body.

Therefore, Levi did it for him. A stack of origami paper by his side, he placed himself in a chair next to Eren's bed and began to fold all sorts of cranes in different sizes and patters. One day a large, pink crane. The next a small crane with a plaid pattern. A medium sized crane with anime characters dotting it. Levi folded all day and night, labor away beside Eren's bedside, until his fingers felt raw at the pads. He took the paper home with him and folded a bunch of cranes there as well; he took the paper with him wherever he went and folded whenever he got a chance. The staffroom, the bus ride home, a small cafe, at the library, on the subway. He folded until time slipped away and before he knew it Christmas was just right around the corner.

He rushed into the hospital, a stack of origami papers in his hand and the messenger bag strapped on his shoulder full of already folded paper cranes. The hospital was super silent as he made his way to Eren's room. Like horror movie silent, right when you know some monster is going to pop out of a wall and stab you to death. As he came closer and closer to Eren's room, he saw a crowd of people. Nurses, doctors, and other patients surrounded the room. The door to the room opened and a sobbing Karula was ushered out of the room by a stony-faced Grisha who had his own tears spilling from his eyes. The crowd turned and everyone spotted Levi as he stood alone in that hallway and that is when he knew.

The origami papers slipped out of his hand, falling and fluttering onto the tiled floors as a strangled cry left Levi's throat as scorching hot tears spilled from his eyes and created a searing path down his face.

Eren had not even lived until Christmas.

They had not even made it to a thousand; they had only gotten up to 104.

 

It was the day of Eren's funeral, many people had shown up and Levi had sat in the back. He had refused to walk up the aisle to get a last view of Eren before they buried him in the ground. He wanted to remember that brave, little boy with the memories he had in his mind. The funeral passed very quickly. There was a moment where everyone who attended had made their way to the beach and released all of the paper cranes into the ocean.

Levi had thought it was a nice touch, something Eren would have definitely wanted.

After the funeral, Levi had found no reason to stay and was walking away from the beach when he had heard a shout behind him. He had turned around and watched as Mikasa ran towards him. She held up her hands and in it was a single white paper crane. “Eren wanted you to have this.” She said, placing it in his hands before she ran away.

Levi stared at the crane in his hands, bewildered by why Eren had left it behind for him. He had gone back to his apartment that day and placed that crane on an empty space of his bookshelf. Still contemplating the crane and the meaning behind it.

It was not all months later when all the snow had melted and the leaves and grass where a vivid green and songbirds sang that Levi realized the significance behind the crane as he took a walk through the park. Eren knew he was never going to reach a thousand cranes in such a short time, he had never planned to. The only thing he planned on however was keeping Levi by his side to the very end.

Park goers stared warily at Levi as they passed by him. His mouth wide open as the sound of pure laughter filled the spring air. Tears of joy spilled down his cheeks as well. As he peered up at the sky and felt for once at peace. He shook his head as he continued on his way. A spring in his step and his memory of a certain young boy, a boy with vivid green eyes and a brave and contagious personality was imprinted where he never grew old and never got sick, but continued to enjoy a carefree life.


End file.
